Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

LLI GOLINE/NORMAN WELLS
Alcohol abuse in the Sahtu has spiked since Norman Wells residents voted to eliminate liquor restrictions in December, said Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya.

"The communities are hearing it, they're seeing it," he said of the increases. "This issue is a life and death issue for our people."

The plebiscite to lift liquor restrictions in Norman Wells passed on Dec. 5, and restrictions were lifted on Feb. 1. Prior to the changes, Sahtu residents could buy a maximum of two bottles of wine and a bottle of liquor; two bottles of wine and a case of beer; one case of beer and a bottle of liquor; or a flat of beer and a bottle of wine.

In the past three months, Yakeleya said he has heard of increases in public drunkenness, absenteeism in schools and alcohol abuse in Colville Lake, Fort Good Hope, Tulita, Deline and Norman Wells. Since the changes affect the entire region, he argued, the vote should have been put to the entire region. The restrictions were a necessary step to curb the amount of alcohol bootleggers from outlying communities could purchase and sell back to residents, he said.

Now, they're the ones profiting from the bylaw change.

"That's one of the fastest growing businesses," he said. In Tulita, bootleggers sell mickeys of vodka for upwards of $60, and 26-ounce bottles for up to $150. The profits they can make, Yakeleya said, are hard to back away from.

"Alcohol is powerful. It's so powerful that even with our best intentions to provide things for our family, provide things for our house, when people get to drinking, they drink too much," he said. "We want to live a happy, peaceful life in our communities, and we want to be a healthy region. So it's up to me and other people to make it so."

Yakeleya said he has heard reports the RCMP have seen an increase in liquor-related charges, but Sgt. Wes Heron, media relations officer for the RCMP G division, said it is still too early to comment.

"Statistics are so subjective," he said. "It's hard to quantitatively put that in a good light."

Heron said Sahtu RCMP always ramp up patrols while the winter roads are in, and said they haven't seen an unusual spike in liquor-related activity. The Norman Wells liquor store did not return calls. Nobody from the liquor store returned News/North's calls to discuss sales volumes.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.